Bobby Shew can blow!!!

You couldn't find an open seat at last night's All City High School Jazz Ensemble/Augustana Northlander's Jazz/Augie Jazz Lab concert at Kresge Recital Hall.

Trumpet player-extraordinaire Bobby Shew may have to blame for it. Man, that cat can blow!!! Shew sat in on the entire Northlander's and All City sets, often playing notes in the upper stratosphere of normal trumpet range of that made me think: "what note WAS that?" On top of playing with unbeatable musicality, Mr. Shew imparted great advice to the All City group and Northlander's the evening before during a dress rehearsal clinic.

Each band played great. It's always a pleasure to see the All City group, comprised of students from three of the schools in Sioux Falls, get together to hone their jazz chops.

This is the seventh year of the Society's All City Jazz Ensemble program, based on the concept of bringing students from all Sioux Falls middle schools and high schools together to work on the art of playing jazz with an emphasis on improvisation. Each school year, the high school group has a concert in the fall and the middle school ensemble plays in the spring.

The Sioux Falls Jazz & Blues Society awarded its Scholarship for Higher Learning to All City Jazz Ensemble member and Roosevelt senior Derek Thoreson, who plans to attend SDSU as a Music Education major next year. Congratulations to Derek!

Thanks to Dr. Paul Schilf, Augustana College, band directors at Roosevelt, Lincoln and Washington High Schools, K&M Music, and Yamaha Corporation for their support of the All City Jazz Ensemble program.

SDPB Radio Covers Jazz Diversity Project

Thanks to Jim Kent and Suzie Hanson at SDPB Radio for the great story about the Jazz Diversity Project.

What Are you Doing the Day After Thanksgiving?

We will be listening to SDPB Radio.

On November 28th, SDPB Radio is broadcasting an evening of New Orleans-based music with the American Routes program featuring New Orleans musical families and two previously recorded Sioux Falls Jazz & Blues Society concert presentations:

Doreen’s Jazz New Orleans – 10pm-11pm (central time)
This concert was recorded live on March 24, 2006 at First United Methodist Church in Sioux Falls. Doreen’s Jazz New Orleans began touring the country after many members of the family group lost their home in Hurricane Katrina. Touring the country served a dual purpose for the band: to raise money for rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina, and to spread the culture of New Orleans.

Chris Thomas King – 11pm-12midnight (central time)
This concert was recorded live on November 16, 2007 at the Historic Orpheum Theater in Sioux Falls. Chris Thomas King’s performance brought a new flavor of jazz and blues to the SFJB Concert Series. The Grammy-winning New Orleans musician and actor is no stranger to the blues after losing his Uptown New Orleans home and studio to Hurricane Katrina.

Please go to http://www.sdpb.org/ to check your local listings.

Upcoming Tierney Sutton Band Performance

This post is courtesy of Mark Law, an SFJB Board Member and Tierney Sutton Band fan.

The Tierney Sutton Band concert is just around the corner and I would like to share with you some background on this group. I first learned of the group when I read a very favorable review of their first disk released in 1998. I purchased the “Introducing Tierney Sutton” disk and confirmed that indeed this was a group to watch. They have now been together 15 years, with 7 disks behind them and another coming out next spring. Up to a couple weeks ago my wife and I had the pleasure of seeing them perform on 5 occasions. Then we went on our first Jazz cruise a couple of weeks ago. Tierney and the band played 4 times on the cruise. Each show was different and great fun. They have received two Grammy nominations to date and are going stronger than ever. This will not be a dull concert. Tierney introduces each song with a brief and often very funny story. You will leave with a big smile on your face.

Each song that they perform they make their own by coming up with unique arrangements that they arrive at as a group, everyone making a contribution. Each member of the band is an amazing artist.

If you want to preview what we have in store for us, go to http://www.amazon.com/ or your favorite music site and listen to the samples from any of their disks. While you are there take the time to read some of the rave reviews.

Connie and Mark flanking Tierney Sutton with Maucha Adnet

We're Here to Serve

November was a busy month for us due to the first outing this school year of the Jazz Diversity Project and the debut of our new adult jazz education program: Jazz 101 - For Adults. We're working hard to enlighten and enrich the lives of those that have been jazz fans for years; those that are new listeners; and those whose musical tastes are of a 12-year-old nature.

The Jazz Diversity Project traveled to the western side of the state for a three-day tour (Nov.9-11), making stops in Rapid City as part of the Rapid City Chamber Music Society's series, Custer and Hot Springs Middle Schools, and Oelrichs and Edgemont Schools. Over 650 students listened and learned from the Dakota Jazz Collective as they covered the history of jazz music from its birth in New Orleans to contemporary jazz music today. (In photo from left to right - Matt Wallace, saxophone, Jim Speirs, trumpet, Jeremy Hegg, keyboard. Dakota Jazz Collective also includes Bobby Gripp, drums, and Andrew Reinartz, upright bass.) We were so happy to have the very talented Matt Wallace from Omaha, NE with us! Matt is an 11-year veteran of the Maynard Ferguson Big Band and has traveled the world spreading the good word of jazz. He is a fantastic player and was a great addition for the program.

We were excited to perform the Jazz Diversity Project to an adult audience in Rapid City. This was the first time the Black Hills Chamber Music Society had promoted a jazz concert, so we were the guinea pig to an extremely receptive audience that was excited to listen to and learn about jazz. Thanks to the BHCMS for broadening its progamming!

INSIDER INFO: This is how how precise our packing has to be in order to fit all musicians, instruments and luggage into a 15 passenger van. Packing has become a fun game for us all - we have it down to a science.



Our visit to Oelrichs School opened our minds and warmed our hearts. The Jazz Diversity Project followed the town's Veteran's Day program in the school gym, so many towns folk were invited to stay for our presentation. The band students became our "roadies" and helped us unload and load the instruments and gear. We also had the great opportunity to stay and have lunch with the students afterward. So many of the students had a great interest in pursuing music lessons and learning more about jazz music and the musicians enjoyed connecting with students over a meal.

The Jazz Diversity Project is made possible through sponsorships and grants from the Larson Foundation, First Premier Bank/Premier Bankcard, the South Dakota Humanities Council, the South Dakota Community Foundation, the South Dakota Arts Council, and the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation.

Jazz 101 - For Adults: Women of Jazz was held at CJ Callaway's on Thursday, Nov. 13th. The turn out of this first-ever adult education program exceeded our expectations as around 40 music lovers learned about Anita O'Day, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Tierney Sutton from Dr. Paul Schilf, professor of jazz studies from Augustana College. Sponsors for this event were Tre Lounge and K & M Music.

Due to the interest in this program, we're planning to do more Jazz 101 - For Adults on a wide array of jazz-related topics. Check out our website, www.sfjb.org, for future Jazz 101 - For Adults dates.

Jazz 101 - For Adults: Women in Jazz

The Sioux Falls Jazz & Blues Society is presenting Jazz 101-For Adults. This informal night features a discussion of women throughout jazz history and highlights the talent of Tierney Sutton, who will be performing at the Orpheum Theater on December 5.

The event will be held at CJ Callaway’s Burgundy Room (off of 69th and Minnesota Ave.) on Thursday, November 13, 2008 from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. The price is FREE to ’08-’09 subscribers and $5 to non-subscribers. Please RSVP by calling 605-335-6101 or e-mailing info@sfjb.org before or on Tuesday, November 11, 2008. Free appetizers and a cash bar will be available.

Tierney Sutton Band & Holiday Getaway Travel Package

The Sioux Falls Jazz & Blues Society is teaming up with South Dakota Tourism to provide a great package for Holiday shopping season. You can attend the Tierney Sutton Band performance, stay downtown at the Holiday Inn City Centre and experience the shopping available in downtown Sioux Falls.
When: December 5, 2008
What: Tierney Sutton Band & Holiday Getaway Travel Package
Cost: $137.69
Includes: 2 B-level tickets to the Tierney Sutton Band concert at the Sioux Falls Orpheum Theater on December 5, 2008, a one-night hotel stay with the Holiday Inn City Centre in downtown Sioux Falls and coupons from Downtown Sioux Falls for many of the shops and businesses within walking distance of the hotel and Orpheum Theater. The concert begins at 8pm on December 5. Call the Sioux Falls Jazz & Blues Society office to request this package at 605-335-6101.